Music Producers

Our firm’s expertise in representing music producers is one of the best and most progressive in the country. We work with all genres of producers, and have done hundreds of deals with producers working with major label artists, as well as indies and custom projects. We work to assist our producers in protecting their joint sound recording interests by establishing benchmarks with regard to advances, controlled composition rates, and royalty and audit provisions, providing the greatest return on investment as well as an ability to track and understand each royalty stream.

Our firm has instituted procedures for our producer clients to collect digital performance rights monies in sound recordings for many years through SoundExchange letters of direction. We have worked to establish royalty audit provisions, which allow producers to audit if an artist will not – despite letters of direction trying to foreclose this prospect. We additionally track royalty payments and calculate “penny-rate” estimates with regard to previous releases and royalties due, and have been successful at securing back producer royalties owed or withheld. We have participated in artist audits and secured producer payments in conjunction with royalties due to the artists.

Radio-ready sound recordings can now be recorded at extremely low costs. The value of the intellectual property can be immeasurable, and the “magic-dust” on the hit can be the producer’s doing. Now with the possibility of the track being used for initial radio exposure, internet streaming, satellite radio, ringtones, movie and TV soundtracks, and webisodes - which can possibly be the linchpin for major label distribution around the world - the speculation or new artist producer agreement can be one of the most important investments to make. It can be a producer’s best way to allow the proper participation in the various income streams for years to come.

Below are some examples of the work that the lawyers within our firm have done in this area:

Strategizing with producer clients on speculation production agreements

Drafting, negotiation, execution and payment enforcement on speculation production agreements

Draft and negotiation of hundreds of major label producer agreements

Filing of letters of direction with major labels

Handling of artist/producer audits from beginning to end in conjunction with auditors